Delhi High Court Rules on Marriage Witnesses

The Delhi High Court has mandated Arya Samaj temples to ensure the authenticity of witnesses in marriage ceremonies following a case where a girl was married to her uncle, who falsely claimed to be unmarried. Justice Prathiba M Singh stated that at least one witness from each side, either a relative or a known acquaintance, should be present to uphold the validity of the marriage. The court declared the marriage void due to the uncle's false affidavit regarding his marital status and noted the ceremony's lack of credible witnesses aside from the couple and priest. The temple was informed that it only takes affidavits regarding marital status without further verification, which the court deemed insufficient. This ruling aims to prevent similar incidents and protect the sanctity of marriage within the temple's purview. The case arose after the girl's father filed a petition for her production, leading to revelations about the marriage's legitimacy.